Strategy formulation and implementation in manufacturing organisations: the impact on performance.

A key preoccupation of strategy as a field of study is the identification of sources of heterogeneous performance among competing firms. The main theories of strategy include contingency theory, Porter's positioning theory, resource-based view and its derivatives and environmental theories and offer varying views explaining the potential reasons for deriving superior rent. Empirical studies in the field of strategic management have mainly focussed on two main streams of research: (i) the relationship between how strategy is formulated in a firm and fírm performance and (ii) the relationship between the content of strategy and firm performance. A third area of interest is strategy implementation, but unlike the other two areas, strategy implementation has not received much empirical interest. The results of the previous studies examining the relationship between strategy formulation and performance and strategy content and performance have been inconclusive. Some studies have reported positive relationships, while others found no relationship. The previous studies also suffered from a number of methodological inadequacies such as inconsistent operationalisation of the constructs, unclear definition of industry sectors and small sample size. Only a few studies have focussed on UK based organisations. In addition there is a dearth of empirical research using UK based engineering organisations. The study reported in this thesis examines the impact of strategy formulation, strategy content and strategy implementation on organisational performance, all within a single study. As far as the author was able to establish by examining the previous studies, none of the previous studies have looked into strategic planning, business-level strategy and strategy implementation simultaneously in a single study. Furthermore this study considers the moderating effects of environment on the relationship between strategy formulation and performance and strategy content and performance. It also assesses the moderating effect of organisational structure on the relationship between strategy content and performance. Because of the integrated approach taken, this study makes a significant contribution to the literature. This study also addresses some of the methodological shortcomings of the previous studies by clearly defining the industry sectors, using a good sample size and by using properly validated constructs. It gains significance mainly due to its focus on UK based organisations and helps theory development because a robust theory is crucially dependent on empirical studies representing different industry sectors and geographical regions. Based on the literature review a conceptual model of strategy formulation and implementation was proposed and the hypotheses to be tested were derived. These hypotheses were classified into two groups namely (i) hypotheses for validating the findings of previous studies and (ii) hypotheses which have not been tested in previous studies. Hypotheses in the first group have examined the impact of strategic planning, business-level strategy and planning of strategy implementation on organisational performance. Hypotheses in the second group have examined the interrelationships between strategic planning, business-level strategy and strategy implementation. The development of the survey instrument involved a number of processes including adaptation of the constructs from previous studies, review by a panel of experts and a pilot study. This process ensured content and face validity of the measures. Using the validated questionnaire a postal survey was conducted among the chief executives of manufacturing organisations in the UK belonging to the electrical and mechanical engineering sectors. Appropriate analytical techniques were used to test the hypotheses and Partial least squares (PLS), which is a structural equation modelling technique was used to test the conceptual model. Organisational performance was measured using two constructs namely objective fulfilment and relative competitive performance. The study indicated that strategic planning has a strong positive relationship with objective fulfilment and its relationship with relative competitive performance is not very strong. It was found that strategic planning helps organisations to improve their relative competitive performance in highly dynamic as well as highly hostile environments. The results indicated that organisations that had a clear business-level strategy by adopting one of the strategies namely cost-related, differentiation or integrated strategies performed better than stuck-in-the-middle companies both in terms of objective fulfilment and relative competitive performance. It was also found that external environment moderates the relationship between business-level strategy and performance to some extent. A cost-related strategy helps organisations to improve their performance in environments with low levels of hostility. A differentiation strategy is helpful in improving relative competitive performance in highly hostile environments as well as highly dynamic environments. It was found that an organic structure is helpful for organisations having a clear strategy to improve their performance. The planning of strategy implementation had a significant positive relationship with both the performance measures. When the conceptual model was tested using PLS it was found that some of the relationships in the model were not statistically significant. The model indicated that it is not possible to effectively predict relative competitive performance using the variables used in this study. However, the model indicated that objective fulfilment can be predicted using strategic planning and the planning of strategy implementation. Most of the previous studies have examined bivariate relationships. The structural model indicates that some of the bivariate relationships become insignificant when strategic planning is studied along with business-level strategy and strategy implementation simultaneously. The findings of this study are extremely useful to CEOs and senior managers as they confirm the importance of strategic planning and the need for properly planning and prioritising strategy implementation in order to enhance organisational performance. It also highlights the importance of clearly defining the business-level strategies for improving performance. Some of the main limitations of this study include the use of single respondents, its focus on only two industry sectors, sole dependence on the survey data and common method variance. These limitations, and measures taken to overcome common method variance, are discussed in the thesis. This thesis comprises of eleven chapters which are organised into four sections. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the study. It explains the background of the study and presents the conceptual model and study objectives. Part 1 contains a comprehensive literature review which includes strategy development process, strategic planning and performance, business-level strategy and performance and a review of strategy implementation literature. Part 2 describes the main aspects concerning research methodology and survey design. Part 3 provides the details of data analysis carried out and the results obtained by testing the hypotheses. Part 4 provides a summary of discussions outlined in this thesis and the conclusions derived

Spatial Modelling of Water Availability and Choice of Crop Production in a River Basin

This paper analyze the problems of water resource allocation and crop choice in a river basin using spatial analytical tools. Spatial variability of water availability is modelled by the product sum model. Here the water availability at any farm Z(xj) is a joint spatio-temporal environment and socioeconomic process. Water availability is estimated using spatial econometric tool. Here the spatial weight matrix (W) is constructed by taking water user associations (WUA) as boundaries. The choice of a crop is explained using spill over model in which the choice of a crop is influenced by the choice of neighbouring farmers. Here the spatial lag model is modified to adapt the latent variable (y*) which has a binary outcome.Riverbasin, Spatio-temporal process, spatial water institutions, Crop Production/Industries,

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ RIGHTS OVER FOREST RESOURCE GOVERNANCE IN INDIA AND CANADA: DEBATING THE ROLE OF DECENTRALIZATION

India and Canada have a common colonial past which deeply disturbed the close ecological relationship between Indigenous peoples and forests, with the colonial authorities restricting Indigenous peoples’ legitimate use of forest resources. Even during the post-colonial period, the forest policies in both these countries continued centralized conservation mechanisms that excluded Indigenous peoples. However, the past few decades have witnessed a shift towards decentralized governance in both jurisdictions. This recent trend manifests an attempt to devolve powers and authority to Indigenous institutions. In India, the constitutional recognition of decentralized governance and the enactment of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 emphasized the significance of traditional tribal institutions in resource governance. By contrast, in Canada, although the development of co-management regimes is sometimes highlighted as showing the changing face of forest resource governance, the devolution of power to traditional Aboriginal institutions in decision-making over resources remains unsettled. The first chapter sets a background for the thesis by giving an introduction to the history of alienation faced by the indigenous peoples in India and Canada during colonial times. It further expands on the rationale for choosing both the jurisdiction as two comparable units. The second chapter provides a theoretical framework to the thesis by discussing various theories on decentralization. This part highlights the role of indigenous peoples and their institutions in forest resource governance. The third chapter examines the efforts towards decentralization in India through the Constitutional recognition and enactment of the FRA. Here it is argued that a radical shift in the tribal self-governance in India has achieved decentralization of forest resource governance. This argument is developed through an analysis of the implementation of the FRA at Mendha Lekha in Maharashtra. Some of the important judicial decisions that legitimized the decision-making powers of the tribal institutions in the forest resource governance are also discussed at this juncture. The fourth chapter analyzes decentralized forest governance in Canada through the evolution of co-management. Through an illustration of Clayoquot Sound in British Columbia, it is argued that there is an ongoing absence of strong decentralized institutional arrangements for decision-making on forest resource governance in Canada. Some of the important judgments of the Supreme Court of Canada on duty to consult and accommodation are also discussed here to argue that an absence of a Constitutional recognition of these rights as compared to India has limited the scope of judicial interventions that legitimizes Aboriginal consent in the resource governance. The fifth chapter offers concluding remarks by comparing both the jurisdictions. Through a comparative analysis, this part argues that the FRA provides a stronger platform for the decentralization of forest governance in India than the co-management efforts in Canada

Comparative genetic analysis of cystic fibrosis in populations of the republic of Moldova and India

Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, The 6th International Medical Congress for Students and Young Doctors, May 12-14, 2016Cystic Fibrosis is the most common and life shortening disease in Caucasians, and it is found commonly in Europe, Australia and United States of America. It is an autosomal recessive monogenetic disorder that affects several system, which is caused by mutations in the CFTR (Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductor Regulator) gene. This gene encodes for the transmembrane conductance regulator protein which responsible for the conductance of chloride ions across epithelial cells in different organs. This affects the transport of salt and water in different organs, which results in thick secretions. Aim of the study: To study the genetic component and mutation of cystic fibrosis in different races especially in India and Moldova, to understand the pathogenesis of the genetic material that causes cystic fibrosis. Material and methods. Analysis of latest articles and databases concerning Cystic fibrosis in both populations. Conclusion. 1 in 2000 is the prevalence of Cystic fibrosis patient in Moldova whereas 1 in 40000 to 100000 is the prevalence in India.Recent statistics suggest that 1 in 25000 expatriates of India in United Kingdom and United States of America have Cystic fibrosis. However, the exact number of Cystic Fibrosis patients in India are unknown compared to Moldova due to the lack of studies conducted in the Indian population and also non availability of screening or investigation methods. More than 1000 mutations have been identified in CFTR gene in different ways.ΔF508, which means deletion of phenylalanine at the 508 positon, is the most common mutation found. The most frequent mutations of the CFTR gene in Moldavian populations are ΔF508, G542X & W1282X, and in India ΔF508, -219insG & S169G. Better understanding and screening of the population have increased the life expectancy of the cystic fibrosis patients. New screening methods need to be implemented into the health care systems as well as holding seminars for the health care professionals to improve the diagnosis and patient support. Early diagnosis will improve the life of patient and reduce mortality

Premature ejaculation - current concepts in the management: A narrative review

Premature ejaculation (PE; early ejaculation or rapid ejaculation) is a common sexual problem affecting about 20-30% of men in the sexually active age group. PE can be of four types: Primary, secondary, natural variable, and subjective PE. Various non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatment options are available to treat PE including Dapoxetine, which is specifically developed for the treatment of PE. In this review, we discuss the pathophysiology and management aspects of PE. Key words: Premature ejaculation, Cognitive behavioral therapy, Serotonin uptake inhibitors, Dapoxetine

USE OF SIMULATION IN PHARMACY PRACTICE AND IMPLEMENTATION IN UNDERGRADUATE PHARMACY CURRICULUM IN INDIA

The use of simulation and related technology in healthcare education will continue to increase in the coming years and there is a collective role for this technique within pharmacy curricula. It is anticipated that increasing the amount of simulation in pharmacy curricula will have a positive impact on education and training of pharmacy students, and ultimately produce positive benefits for patients and the healthcare team. The apparent objective of introducing simulation techniques into the training program for pharmacy students is to advance the education and training of pharmacists with the ultimate objective of improving patient care and safety. Simulation experiences could never substitute experiences in real clinical settings, but has a great potential to complement clinical education as well as to use as a provision to develop skills required for a competent pharmacist. In addition to the development of technical skills such as procedural and clinical skills, simulation techniques have been used in pharmacy education in addressing general cognitive and social skills, notably in communication, decision-making, ethical issues, prioritization and teamwork. Pharmacy programs which aim to provide an opportunity for theoretical knowledge to be applied to a real clinical setting, simulated learning environments could enable a more systematic approach to both the training of clinical skills. Simulation provides a consistent, predictable experience to basic sciences, dispensing and medication supply. Ideally, it was recognized that simulation training should be integrated across all levels of pharmacy education and training.Keywords: Simulated Learning Program, Experiential education, Pharmacy practice, Indi

Sub-vector Efficiency analysis in Chance Constrained Stochastic DEA: An application to irrigation water use in the Krishna river basin, India

All deviations from the frontier is inefficiency in deterministic DEA (DDEA); thus making the DDEA unable to accommodate the measurement and specification errors. But, most of the production relationships are stochastic in nature with some inputs fixed in the short run. This paper addressed the above two issues by formulating a sub-vector efficiency model in a Stochastic DEA (SDEA) framework to analyze the efficiency of sub vector of inputs. The results illustrate that there is a wide scope for stochastic efficiency analysis. The overall efficiency in SDEA is higher than DDEA under both Constant and Variable Return to Scale frameworks. SDEA revealed that some efficient producers are not sub-vector efficient in our case study. Thus, overall efficiency oriented policy may not be sufficient for optimizing water use. The proposed model has limitations in terms of the degree of stochastic variability and the level of tolerance that the model can accommodateStochastic DEA, sub-vector efficiency, chance constrained programming, irrigation water use efficiency, Agricultural and Food Policy,

Evaluation of the reproductive cycle and gonadal development in the climbing perch, Anabas testudineus (Bloch, 1792) in captivity

The climbing perch Anabas testudineus, the most demanded indigenous fish species of India, were used for the evaluation of reproductive strategy and gonadal development at first maturation under the controlled laboratory condition. In both sexes, four distinct gonadal developmental stages namely preparatory, pre-spawning, spawning, and post-spawning were identified based on the gonadosomatic index (GSI), hepatosomatic index (HSI), gonadal morphology, and the levels of serum sex hormones. The spawning stage was identified from July and August and the fecundity ranged from 6500–11000 eggs. The GSI exhibited a significant increase from preparatory to pre-spawning and spawning stages, and maintained high until August. The HSI was maintained the same during preparatory, pre-spawning, and spawning stages while increased in post-spawning stage in both sexes. Serum estrogen and testosterone levels increased significantly during pre-spawning, and spawning stages in both sexes. Fecundity showed a positive correlation with the length, weight, and ovary weight. Histological sections showed that male A. testudineus were group-synchronous spawners. Both sexes showed discrete reproductive cycles characterized by distinct changes in gonadal size, sex hormones and gonadal indices. This study will bridge the gap of insufficient knowledge to support the best practices suitable for the A. testudineus culture and survival under captivity